The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-08-04
GEN. STEEDMAN.
His Brilliant Services at chIckamaura.

/ erroneous. ~ ne lOca OF WflllnE important MS
/ tory from memory after the lapse Of a quarter
century is certainly most unsafe. To illustrate
how easily we can be mistaken, even concern
4 ing what was OF great importance 10 Us, will
mention a recent point.
One of my comrades, in reading the history
OF our battery, said that the author must have
been mistaken as TO which section Of the bat
/ terry occupied the summit of Rocky Face, Ga.
The history says the right section was there.
and one of the guns was so situated during the
most Of the day that the gunners had 10 lie
prone upon the ground TO save them from the
rebel sharpshooters. The comrade belonged TO
that section, and he insisted that his section
was not on the mountain, but that the center
section was there. Now, on reference 10 tbs
record OF the day, written as the events were
| Transporting, we found that the history was cor
rect, and that my comrade had entirely forgot
ten that his section made itself immortal that
day, and even his own gun, for il was while
standing on that gun that Gen. w. It. Sherman
| issued the greatest command ever uttered by
man since the world began, and which caused
Gen. JOS Z. Johnston TO Immediately retreat,
viz:
Attention, Creation! By Nations, right
wheel!l"
In reading the various accounts Of Chicka-
manga, il seems 10 me that nearly all the
writers depend on their memory, and that il is
! quite as defective as that of my comrade above
mentioned. / carefully noted down positions,
time, etc. during that day, as on all other days
during the war, and have that record complete
OF course it is of our battery in particular, but
naturally it often speaks of other commands
etc. Ours was the only battery under Gen.
Steedman during the whole of that campaign
1t was ours he took out 20 Ringgod on the 18th
and 18th. and with which he sent his compli-
ments 10 Gen. Longstreet, as his troops were
unloading at the station. IT was our battery
/ lna -. . L. :
second reconnaissance, and IL was ours he took
TO the field on the evening of the 18th, and
which was with him on the goth.
We reached the field about p. m on the
10Th, going on the trot and galiop portion of
the way from RoSsyille. We put our guns in
position in some heavy timber on slight hill,
guns pointing TO the northwest about in the
direction Of Chattanooga.
A little after sunrise Of the Goth the infantry
about Us advanced into the bush 10 the north
east, and we followed. After travelling about
for some time we finally emerged from the
woods and halted at corner of field. more
pleasant, tranquil morning, sky more clear,
cannot recall. The men amused themselves by
cracking walnuts, writing, and playing cards
until just at Q o'clock we hoard sudden roar
Of musketry to the east and southeast, appar-
emily about mile distant.
There was no distinct, separate shots It
was sheet-solid al that-of roaring noise. In
half minute the belching of cannon was
heard, and in less than q minute that too be-
came solid roar.
In few minutes Gen. Gordon Granger. who
was near our battery. gave the command TO
move forward As we advanced and halted by
turns we saw column Of cavalry to the north
east marching 70 the east. as we were. IL was
about a mile distant. The writer spoke to
Gen. Granger about it, telling him IL was rebel
cavalry, but the General said IL must be ours:
but the truth was disclosed when, about IL a.
m, shell came in very lively from the north,
where the cavalry had entered the timber.
Gen. Granger had US take position on aslight
elevation on open ground and train our guns
on the battery, which was so far back in the
underbrush that we could only locate it by the
smoke as il arose above the brush. They had
splendid range on our position, aad every shell
came an close as We desired. One passed
through the horse Of our Orderly Sergeant on
the instant he dismOunted. Gen. Granger
sighted one Of our guns, but as he did so she'll
passed only few inches above his head. He
mounted his horse and said:
I" Follow me. have work for you In another
placep
We limbered up and followed him along the
edge Of the brush to the eastward for about a
quarter Of mile, when we halted on quite an
elevated plateau, the ground to the east being
about 40 feet lower, and cleared for over half a
mile. OF TO the east, in the opening, we could
see few of our men walking over the field
and there were patches Of smoke as. though
many men had been engaged clearing q field
and had been burning many piles Of logs One
log house was also on fire. There was no FIR
ing going on. and VIC lay about on the ground
until, precisely at ~ M, Gen. Steedman gave
the command 10 stand TO arms and then
started up the slightly-inclining ridge, going
southwark into heavy timber, but the trees
far Qnarf that va he'd l. T..
moving freely along with our guns and caissons.
The infantry struggled along On both sides
and among our guns. The rebels gave an un-
earthly yell and came charging toward us
from the east over another rise Of ground.
There was a little underbrush among the
trees, but not enough TO obscure the view or
obstruct free action. Our infantry immedi.
ately, as IL by magic. were In line and counter
charging. Gen. SteedInan, who was at the
head Of the column, wheeled his horse, and
came dashing back, yelling as loud as he could.
Halt! Halt! For Gods sake, men, halt 10
de swung his black hat and swayed his BODY
as he urged his horse on through the men until
be reached the flag, which he grabbed and
wheeling his horse, facing TO the west waved
the flag frantically, continually yelling 'HaltlD
FINALLY the infantry halted, and he ordered
them to right face and marched them calmly
up the ridge until we reached the end of IL
where our battery took position, the l2lst
Ohio, Col: Banning commanding, supporting
Us on the left flank.
Here was the famous gap through which
Gen. Longstreet tried so hard 50 MANY times
that afternoon 10 break, that he might cut our
army in two and whip It in detail. Seven
times his men charged up 20 aud a little over
the summit Of the ridge next east Of us that
afternooni but even bis men could not stand
up against our double shot o. sinister and we
held the ridge until dusk,-two OF our guns
being out OF ammunition a portion Of the time.
and ours, as Col. Banning says, was the last
battery 10 leave the bloody field Of Chicka-
mauga' except those left in the hands of the
rebels, and the only battery on that part of the
field where his regiment fought.
Gen. BOynton says that Gen. Steedman caugbt
the nag OF retreating regiment and forced n
back into action, aud that he led us into most.
ton bearing two Gags. Well, may be he did
but 1 should like 10 know TO what regiments
they belonged and where he got them. Will
not some one let the world know about this
VI course was not with him the whole Of that
afternoon, for had a company in front that re-
CURED constant attention. / saw him have but
one nag, and that was seized not from a retreat
Ing regiment but from q charging one: and
u was certainly well for US that he succeeded
In hating the regiment as he did, for had II
become engaged there our battery could NOT
have held the gap alone, and with that gan in
possession OF Longstreet the fate Of the Army
OF the Cumberland would have been scaled.
The one who informed the author OF "Old
Chickamauga" in The NATIONAL TRIRrSr
Of juno was also much mistaken, or else no
told OF some other part of the field Ihope that
comrades who are ia possession of positive
proof WIN give Us the truth Of the part taken